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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

take the fall en · VERB

Pronunciation

Meanings

  1. (especially, idiomatic, informal) To willingly lose a match, as in a fixed fight.
  2. (idiomatic, informal) To bear the blame or punishment for another person's failure or misdeed, either intentionally or not.
    • You can take the president at his word after last week's sacking of MMS director Liz Birnbaum, the first in the government to take the fall for the BP oil spill disaster 2010 June 8, “Economy Watch: BP CEO Tony Hayward to testify on Capitol Hill next week”, in Washington Post:
    • Trump has called this week’s deal “very strong,” even as he joked that his Vice President JD Vance would take the fall if it doesn’t work out. 2026 June 18, Will Neal, “Trump Trolled for Biggest ‘Surrender’ at Versailles Since Versailles”, in The Daily Beast:
    • It was good of him to take the fall for you like that, I just wonder if he will come out of this one unscathed.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
taking the fall Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
taken the fall Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
takes the fall Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
take a fall alternative lexicographic
took the fall Tense=Past lexicographic

Relateds

scapegoat · fall guy

Synonyms

take the rap (bear the blame)